Green Means Go — Eco-Friendly Goodies To Celebrate Earth Day!
Today is Earth Day, ladies, but we plan on celebrating all weekend long, bringing you the scoop on some of the hottest eco-friendly products out there (hey, the party doesn’t stop til we say it does!). Consider this the appetizer portion of our feast for Mother Nature. Bon appetit, my hungry style hounds!
Daniblack Olsa Platform Sandal, $185. Available at JildorShoes.com
Do you need an excuse to purchase a new pair of sandals? Well, we’re happy to help you with this conundrum, chicas! The new Daniblack Olsa sandals infuse joy into any ensemble thanks to the perky color options available: a bright, Gummi Bear-worthy green, a Welch’s grape soda purple, and a Jolly Rancher Cherry Stick red. The knotted, rope-like straps nod to the nautical motifs that are once again at the fashion forefront this season, and the cut-out shapes they form bolster the sandals’ playfulness. The knots are perfectly aligned in a row down the center of the sandals’ uppers for perfect symmetry, while the ankle strap ensures a comfortable, secure fit. But here’s the most compelling reason to justify purchasing these hotties: the Olsa sandals feature a 3 3/4″ heel and a 1 3/4″ platform covered in raffia, a renewable natural resource, and the strappy uppers are constructed out of recycled bottles turned into synthetic suede, making them an eco-friendly summer footwear choice.
Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner, $16.50 each. Available at US.LizEarle.com
When you cleanse your hair with the SLS- and SLES-free Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo, you’ll embark on a savory sensory experience, feeling like you’ve been transported to an apple orchard in Washington’s Yakima County, then escorted into an orange grove in sunny Florida, all thanks to the sweet and zesty extracts of these fruits incorporated into the formula (both apple and orange extract boost hair’s natural luster). West African shea butter and aloe extract moisturize and softens hair, while vitamin E protects your strands from the damaging effects of UV rays. Plant-based ingredients like geranium oil and rosemary extract gently cleanse the hair without stripping it of its natural oils, making this shampoo suitable for women with even the driest strands, and also create a pleasant aroma-therapeutic experience, uplifting your spirits as you shower. To complete your all-natural hair care routine, follow up with one of Liz Earle’s shampoos — we swear by the Botanical Shine Shampoo for Dry or Damaged Hair, which also features shine-boosting apple and orange extracts, but also packs a hefty dose of Kenyan yangu oil to deep moisturize tresses and blue sea kale to safeguard hair color.
Sobral Cidade Maravilhosa Bracelets, $110 each. Available at SobralUSA.com
Brazilian jewelry designer Carlos Sobral has built a career around crafting stunning jewelry, picture frames, home furnishings, vases, and other homebound knickknacks using only recycled materials and found objects. Our latest fascination: the Cidade Maravilhosa (Portuguese for “Marvelous City”) bangles in the new Sobral Rio + Design collection. Hand made using lightweight natural resin, the rounded bangles depict the mountainous Rio de Janeiro landscape, their black terrain offset against luminous, practically glowing magenta pink, Cerulean blue, or sunset orange skies.
Pratima “Beauty in Giving” Eco-Friendly Hemp Beauty Pouch, $27. Available at PratimaSkincare.com
Made with 100% organic hemp and lined with 100% organic cotton, this square, envelope-shaped. zippered pouch, perfect for packing your beauty essentials, is the golden child of PRATIMA Skincare and the Hunger Project, two entities with deep roots in India. Developed by Dr. Pratima Raichur, the all-natural, herb-, mineral-, and plant-based line PRATIMA Skincare relies on ayurvedic medicinal beliefs, which tap into the energy of the five elements: Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Space. The Hunger Project, meanwhile, is a non-profit organization that provides impoverished communities with basic food and health supplies while also planting roots for economic self-reliance within these regions, thereby helping to find long-term solutions to poverty and hunger. The bone-colored pouch features a henna-like, dark brown illustration of leafy tree branches made by artist Valentine Viannay using only water-based paints dried in the sun and then silk printed by hand. All proceeds from the sale of the bag will benefit the Hunger Project in India.
Arcona Cranberry Toner, $32, and Cranberry Gommage, $42 for 100ml and $75 for 200ml. Available at Arcona.com
Dolores O’Riordan may have defected from The Cranberries, but we’ve vowed to stick by the cranberries in Arcona’s skincare arsenal: the Arcona Cranberry Toner and the Arcona Cranberry Gommage. A popular skincare ingredient, antioxidant-rich cranberry helps to restore the skin’s lipid barrier, hence aiding in moisture retention so that skin will feel softer and look healthier and more luminous. Rich in omega-3, 6, and 9, as well as vitamins A and E, this lovely fruit moisturizes the skin and protects it from free radicals. No wonder Arcona has looked to the bitter berry as a power source for its skincare products! We’re particularly smitten with the Arcona Cranberry Toner, a fragrant substance that removes dirt and impurities, refreshing skin and helping to clear up any acne or inflammation thanks to the antibacterial properties of cranberry extract. The Arcona Cranberry Gommage, meanwhile, also helps to clarify skin but also aids in the purification process thanks to the salicylic acid in the formula, which unclogs pores and stimulates cell renewal, and the volcanic minerals that polish the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and radiant.
Kangol Bamboo Cloche, $50. Available at KangolStore.com
Channel Angelina Jolie’s character in the 1920s-set film The Changeling with this jaunty cloche, which features an asymmetrical brim that’s longer at the front, providing greater sun exposure and creating a silhouette similar to that of a tilted bell. A grosgrain ribbon sits atop the brim to add a feminine touch, and the rows of horizontal stitching along the brim yield a sense of texture and movement, like tiny ripples or grooves. Manufactured using bamboo yarn, this ivory-colored cloche is part of Kangol’s range of eco-friendly hats.
Fibre Arts Design Swag Bag, $150. Available at FibreArtsDesign.com
Whether you own an iPad 2, Barnes & Noble NOOK, or Galaxy Tab, chances are you realize that your electronic tablet needs a better home than your lap. And, while you’re going to be on the cutting-edge of tech affairs, why not stay on the vanguard of all things fashion-related? Forget about those environmentally hazardous, hideously cumbersome canvas and nylon messenger and sling iPad bags. Instead, invest in the lightweight Swag Bag from California-based company Fibre Arts Design, which focuses its energies on crafting edgy, fashion-forward, socially and environmentally responsible bags using a manufacturing process that minimizes carbon emissions and results in zero waste. Part of the Fibre Arts Design Origami Collection, the Swag Bag measures 11″ x 10″ x 1″, making it ideal for transporting electronic tablets and all its accessories (like AC adaptors, plugs, and picture frame-like stands). Each bag features a faux leather exterior in a punchy color like a Celery (a kiwi green), Hot Sauce (a fruit-punch-meets-cherry popsicle red), and Sassy (a sunshine yellow), or a neutral shade like Granite (a deep gray), Mustard (a yellowish camel), and Admiral (blackened navy). For a modern, geometric twist, the bag’s recycled cotton and hemp flap is cut in a steep angle so that it looks like a heather gray trapezoid shape. And thanks to an adjustable linen strap, you can wear the Swag Bag as a cross-body purse, one of the season’s hottest handbag styles.
Glaceau Vitamin Schtick Lip Balms, $2 each. Available at Target stores.
Last year, Glaceau was shrouded in a cloud of controversy due to legal battles over whether the company had unfairly marketed its popular Vitaminwater beverage, misleading customers into believing it was a healthy substitute for H2O and not a sugar-packed, flavored water drink with a greater likeness to soda pop. But here’s the good news: even if you decide to restrict your Vitaminwater consumption, you won’t have to give up the smell of your favorite flavor. See, Glaceau has just released its new Vitaminschtick range of lip balms, with each vitamin E-enriched stick boasting a flavor corresponding to a Vitaminwater variety: Power-C (dragon fruit), XXX (acai, blueberry and pomegranate), Multi-V (lemonade), Focus (kiwi/strawberry), Essential (orange), Energy (tropical citrus), Formula 50 (grape), and Revive (fruit punch). The lip balms were recently added to Target’s range of Natural Beauty products, so look for them inside bullseye-emblazoned stores!
Knock Knock Accomplish Tablet, $10. Available at KnockKnock.biz
Made of 100% recycled paper, the Knock Knock “Accomplish” tablet allows you to organize your everyday life with pre-lined sheets that allow you to list to-dos and goals then check the empty boxes next to each blank space when each task is complete. Measuring 5.875″ x 8.625″, the 60-paged tablet modernizes the old-school to-do list— plus every time you check off one of those boxes, you’ll feel like you conquered another minor bottle.
Envirosax Optimism Bags, $8.95 each. Available at Envirosax.com
Envirosax’s mission focuses on the third part of the “reduce, recycle, reuse” slogan. Each lightweight, printed bag can be rolled up and tucked inside your handbag so that it’s ready for duty when you head to the supermarket and need something in which to bag your groceries or you need a sturdy bag in which to haul all your work papers and periodicals. Each unrolled bag measures 50 cm x 42 cm and can hold up to 20kg. Though they’re available in a plethora of prints, we’re loving the new Optimistic Series for spring, which is centered on sunny and vibrant designs like the floral print shown above.
